Our speaker for May is IHan Cheng, who will share her experience in designing products for underprivileged groups, such as smallholder farmers in Malawi, unbanked/underbanked people in Rwanda and parents with young children in Ghana and Nigeria.
Through case studies, she will reflect on learnings from conducting design research, collaborating with multiple organizations, and refining products through continuous iteration.
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The event layout is super chill. Its a monthly hangout where we start the talks at 6pm (talks are in a variety of areas) and usually last an hour or so. We usually have one main talk (30-45 min) and one or two lightning talks (10-15 minutes).
Contact us at [masked]

Sarah Muma will be back this week to talk to us about container technology! Read details below.
*********** IMPORTANT NOTE ***********
The talk will start at 6:00pm sharp, which is earlier than usual!
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Container Technology 4 ways: Children, Students, Professionals, Experts
Container technology is changing the way we think about application architecture, especially for cloud-native apps. In this talk, we’ll look at Container technology in a way that resonates with 4 levels of expertise. The goal is to dive into this topic together, no matter your familiarity, and hopefully come away with a better understanding, maybe even you yourself will now be able to explain it to someone else!
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The event layout is super chill. Its a monthly hangout where we start the talks at 6pm (talks are in a variety of areas) and usually last an hour or so. We usually have one main talk (30-45 min) and one or two lightning talks (10-15 minutes).
Contact us at [masked]

Our March event will be about algorithms!
Kate Stapleton will tell us about what they, are how they affect us and their potential for bias.
See below for details and looking forward to seeing you all!
*********** IMPORTANT NOTE ***********
The talk will start at 6:00pm sharp, which is earlier than usual!
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Speaker:
Kate Stapleton, security and blockchain researcher, privacy advocate and ethical hacker.
Talk Abstract:
Algorithms affect almost every aspect of our lives and we rarely go a day without interacting with them, but how do they work exactly? During my talk I will provide a comprehensive explanation of how algorithms work and what constitutes an efficient and effective algorithm. I will discuss how AI and machine learning interact and with and power algorithms and debunk some common misconceptions regarding them. From there I will discuss the far reaching impacts and applications algorithms have in society and just how much influence they have on the systems that power our daily lives. Algorithmic bias has become an increasingly emergent issue in recent years, gaining significant attention recently with it’s effects on social media and the news. I will end my talk by discussing what algorithmic bias is, how it works and it’s effects on the systems it touches, as well as ways to address and combat it.
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The event layout is super chill. Its a monthly hangout where we start the talks at 6pm (talks are in a variety of areas) and usually last an hour or so. We usually have one main talk (30-45 min) and one or two lightning talks (10-15 minutes).
Contact us at [masked]

In our upcoming event, Hana Nagel will examine the challenge of scaling research through the lens of social change theory, showing how service design and systems thinking can be used to create a strategy to increase research's impact on product. Growing organizational research capacity requires both bottom-up and top-down changes that can be daunting to tackle. By building collaboration, connection and community, you can bring enough people together to turn research ripples into waves.
Note that we will start the evening slightly earlier this time around: talks will start at 6pm sharp and doors are open starting 5:30pm.
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The event layout is super chill. Its a monthly hangout where we start the talks at 6pm (talks are in a variety of areas) and usually last an hour or so.
Contact us at [masked]

Get tips and live exercises that teach the power of non-verbal communication & how it could help or hinder you in business.
In this exciting talk, Sabrina Prioletta will tell us about the importance of being congruent in our communication – especially when we are transitioning to a new career, industry or opportunity.
This Meetup will help anyone who:
· Is transitioning into something new & wants to be perceived as more credible
· Feels uncomfortable highlighting the value they bring
· Wants to develop stronger communication skills
· Presents to others
· Interacts with the public
We will cover:
· Communication essentials
· Non-verbal mistakes often made
· Anchoring techniques & mindset
· Real-life situations with live demos
· Group / partner work
Read more about Sabrina below!
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The event layout is super chill. Its a monthly hangout where we start the talks at 6:30pm (talks are in a variety of areas) and usually last an hour or so. We usually have one main talk (30-45 min) and one or two lightning talks (10-15 minutes).
Contact us at [masked]
====================
More about Sabrina:
====================
Sabrina Prioletta is a Brand and Marketing Strategist with a professional pedigree of 15 + years. Her experience ranges from diverse industries and tier-1 brands, including: adidas, Molson, and The Montreal Gazette, to name a few. Sabrina’s reach over the years has provided her with a deep understanding of today’s corporate realities. She prides herself with award-winning campaigns and retail initiatives that have generated highly sought-after revenue streams on brand portfolios worth over 60 M $.
Founder & Brand Identity Director of SIVA Marketing Sabrina uses a unique Archetype-based approach to unveil her clients’ brand DNAs. This serves as the foundation to powerful marketing and storytelling strategies that sets them apart.
Her passion for self-expression & communication extends beyond the corporate world and triggered her to dedicate the past 5 years to personal development. She committed to her growth through many organizations, including: the McGill Executive Institute, Landmark Education, Peak Potentials, and Dale Carnegie Training.
A Certified Dale Carnegie Trainer, Sabrina also facilitates Communication, Leadership & Presentation-skill programs aimed at delivering quantifiable value, through proven accelerated learning methodologies.
Her dedication to self-expression and identity is key in all she does – so that her clients and students experience transformational results!

Our December meetup will be a free-form networking event!
***************** LOCATION *******************
Element AI, 6650 Rue Saint-Urbain #500, Montréal, QC H2S 3G9
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There will be no talks. Just come over and hang out with people you know and meet people you don't!
There is no cover charge for the event.
Snacks and drinks are provided by our sponsor Element AI !
Access details:
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The office of Element AI are located on the 5th floor of the building. Once out of the elevator (or staircase), ring the doorbell and we will let you in. We will then quickly print your tag and you are free to enjoy the food/drink and network!
In case of any questions, contact us at [masked]

Our two wonderful speakers for November are Rodica Crasnic and Iman Malik.
In her lightning talk, Rodica will tell us about the unconscious biases that effect our personal lives. Read an abstract of her talk below!
What is unconscious bias and how does it affect our personal and professional life? If it's unconscious and outside of our control, what can we do about it? That and more will be explained during this informative and fun session.
Iman will discuss music and creativity in machine learning, and show us the work she has been doing in this area. Below is an abstract of her talk.
Music is mysterious. We as humans love it and it makes us feel great! But why? Anthropologists have shown that every record of human culture has some aspect of music involved yet the exact evolutionary role of music is shrouded in mystery. As we enter the exciting era of automation, we see incredible changes in all areas of human life through applications of A.I. But does A.I have a place in the music sector? Can A.I “understand" something that is so fundamentally human and if so, what are its limits? How can musicians and creative practitioners leverage the power of A.I?
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The event layout is super chill. Its a monthly hangout where we start the talks at 6pm (talks are in a variety of areas) and usually last an hour or so. We usually have one main talk (30-45 min) and one or two lightning talks (10-15 minutes).
Contact us at [masked]

*********** Snacks sponsored by NextAI ***********
In our next evening of talks, Samantha Rouphael from Microsoft will talk about her recent transition from software engineering into the AI world.
Here is an abstract of her talk.
Artificial Intelligence have progressed rapidly in the latest years and Montreal has become the AI hub of the world with the largest condensation of researchers and domain experts. Today, more AI related jobs are being requested in different fields.
Are you wondering how can you be part of this new exciting world and how to get started?
I studied Software Engineering at McGill University and worked in Microsoft Word’s core engineering team mainly coding in C++ and C# (amongst other things). I always had interest in AI but didn't get the opportunity to work professionally on an AI project until last year when I transitioned to focus more on AI and ML. Transitioning into being a full time AI developer has been overwhelming but fun and exciting!
In my talk I will focus more about this transition and about the tooling and resources that helped me ramp up quickly and excel in this domain. I will also discuss some of the best practices when it comes to working on AI projects.
About Next AI
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Next AI is a founder development program, focused on early stage ideas and ventures related to AI.
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Timeline:
Doors open at 6:00pm.
Talks start at 6:30pm, and the event usually lasts about an hour.
The event layout is super chill. Its a monthly hangout where we start the talks at 6pm (talks are in a variety of areas) and usually last an hour or so. We usually have one main talk (30-45 min) and one or two lightning talks (10-15 minutes).
--
Timeline:
Doors open at 6:00pm.
Talks start at 6:30pm, and the event usually lasts about an hour.

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Food will be provided by *LightHouse Labs* !
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For September, we have two women sharing their stories and knowledge.
Emma Skillings will tell us her personal story about learning to code as someone who comes from a music background.
Dvorah Graeser will get technical with patents and intellectual property!
Read on for more details.
TALK 1: (~20 min)
Why do musical/creative people find coding so compelling?
Emma Skillings
I will be talking about my personal experience growing up in a very musical family and how that played into me learning to love coding; I will also share why a couple of musical friends chose to learn to code. I will also speak a little about how a bootcamp structure fit my learning style much better than the "typical" educational structure.
TALK 2: (~40 min)
Patents and their challenges in AI
Dr. D'vorah Graeser will be discussing the challenges of AI Patents and how you can succeed in AI. It's common knowledge that the AI field can change in the blink of an eye. So, what does that mean for hackers and entrepreneurs? In this talk, Dr. Graeser will share her 20+ years of AI knowledge to provide tangible recommendations on intellectual property protection within the field of AI, and how intellectual property shapes the field of AI. The talk will include baseline information on what a patent is (and why they matter to AI startups), intellectual property challenges for AI startups, and lastly, how to win in AI. Whether you're simply interested in AI, or a seasoned AI expert, you can't afford to miss this talk--your startup success may depend on it!
About the speaker:
Dr. D'vorah Graeser is a US patent agent with over 21 years of experience in emerging tech areas such as life sciences, software, and artificial intelligence. She believes that innovation protection should be easy to understand--because good ideas are worth protecting. As the CEO of KISSPatent, she provides guidance to tech entrepreneurs on startup essentials such as securing funding, protecting ideas, and crafting businesses that are unique and novel. She is qualified to represent claims at the US Patent and Trademark Office. She's also quite friendly! If you have any questions about your startup roadmap, feel free to drop her a line at [masked].
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Doors open at 6:00pm.
Talks start at 6:30pm, and the event usually lasts about an hour.

Stephanie Amram and Andrea Zoellner are the names of the ladies who will teach us something new in August!
Stephanie will talk about the human component of blockchain, AI, and other technologies.
Andrea will tell us how to land a job in tech, without knowing how to code.
Read on for talk abstracts!
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The key to the successful adoption of Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and other technologies : Managing the human component
by Stephanie Amram
The pace with which technology is changing today is the fastest we have ever seen. We hear about businesses needing to innovate, to be creative, to “Digitally Transform” and to adopt new technologies such as “Blockchain & Artificial Intelligence” sooner rather than later.
These evolving technologies have a great deal of potential to add value to businesses and, by extension, to people’s lives. They also bring with them a great deal of business disruption : new business models, new products, new services, etc. What this translates into is a great deal of change facing individuals.
So how can we get people to adopt new ways of doing things? To adopt new products and services and/or new ways of consuming existing products and services? To adopt new ways of working?
The key to ensuring the successful adoption of change is a human centred approach. People must be at the heart of the development and the implementation of these evolving technologies!
The Non-Techie's Guide to Getting a Job in Tech
By Andrea Zoellner
Believe it or not, you don't have to know how to code to get a job in tech. There are plenty of roles for people with a diverse set of skills and you never know what seemingly irrelevant experience can bring value to your team. In this talk, I'll share some examples of non-technical positions, how to find them, and how to pitch yourself for the job. I'll give practical tips on how to capitalize on your unique skill set and build a personal brand hiring managers will notice.
Bio:
Andrea is a Content Creator at SiteGround Hosting and the lead organizer for WordCamp Montreal. She trained as a broadcast journalist and worked in corporate communications before trading it for a career in tech, working with brands like WordPress.com, Jetpack, and WooCommerce. Now, she spends her days developing brand messaging, copy editing, and blogging. When she’s not at home in Montreal, she’s sampling the digital nomad life and documenting her adventures on her travel blog capsulesuitase.com.
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The event layout is super chill. We meet on the third Wednesday of every month and have talks about various topics in tech.
If you are interested in giving a talk, whether it is full-blown presentation or a 10-minute lightning talk, just ping us on Meetup!
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Doors open at 6:00pm.
Talks start at 6:30pm, and the event usually lasts about an hour.